Electropneumatic organ action



, s.. AUSTIN'. ELECTROPNEUMATIGKORGAN ACTIONy PPLICATIOI FII-9 0H 2l 1919 11mm sept. 5,1922.

v e 4 d APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2-1, 1'9l9.

B. G. AUSTIN.

ELEGTROPNEUMATIC oRGAN ACTION.

Patented Sept. 5', 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

nAsIL G. AUSTIN, or HARTFoRncoNn'ncTrcUT,

PANY, on HARTnonn, l`onarniaerreur,

LLTENT OFFICE AssIGNon To nusTIN e. CORPORATION or` MAINE;

ELECTROPNEUMATIQ oneAivAcTIoN. y

Application filed GctoberZL'illB. Serial No. 332,217.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it knownfthat I, Basin Gr. AUSTIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements in Electro` pneumatic Organ Actions,'of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electropneumatic organ action. I might make it clear at this point that I usel this title more or less for convenience. Vhile thestructure in practice, has demonstrated marked utility inthe art identified, it is conceivable that it may with advantage be used in similar fields,

such for instance,

as in an automatic piano player.

The construction involves in its make up what might be properlyconsidered as an electropneumatic valve unit. This in fact is really the primary object in view, namely, the provision of an article of` the character set forth, which is simple in construction and effective iny action, and which may bemountedand dismounted in fact as a unit. The unit,l in fact, involves a valvey mechanism'and a magnet mechanism. It is within the bounds of possibility that these mechanisms or sub-units might be individ-` whlle desirablyv ually used; that is toi say, the magnet mechanism is carried upon the valve mechanism, thismay not be so in all cases, yet it is, as I have intimated, rather an important feature of the invention. The valve mechanism as 'I have'considered` it is generally composed o f several parts.

In' the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification, I have shown in detail one of the several forms of embodiment of the invention whichto en able those skilled in the art to practice the same will be set forth fully in the following description. `I am not necessarily restricted to this disclosure. I may depart therefrom invseveral respects within the scope of the invention definedby theclaims following `view and and upon the Lcasan coi/i-`r and F ig. 4 is a'practically similar view of the same and both illustrating slight modifications.

Fig. 5 is a face view of the casting of the valve mechanis Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views which scales. Y

,'The organk `involves la pressure boX or chamber-as 2 mounted on thesupport 3, the latter in fact-being enclosed by the pressure box or chamber` and virtually forming a part or wall thereof. Y On the support 3 is mounted the bellows 4, to the movable member of whichis connected the arm 5,'the spring 6 being jointed to the outer end of the arm and alsol to the front of the pressure chamber or box. To the top of the pressure boX or` chamber is shown connected the boot of a pipe 7 fitted in a port 8 and adapted to be normally closed valve 9 is held against its seat lat the'lower end of the port by the 6, as will be later'explained. Supported at its elbow for rocking movement upon the top of the pressure box or chamber is the angle lever 10, the long arm of which is `jointed to the arm 5 and to connected the valve 9 shown as being closed by full lines inFig. 1. It will be assumed that the bellows 4L is caused to collapse, for example to the dotted line position in Fig. 1. This draws the rod 5 to the left in said stretches the spring 6. As the rod thus moves to the left it swings the angle lever 10v to thedotted line position and as av consequence opens the valve 9 and admits pressure to the pipe 7` to canse the same to speait, by way of course of the port 8. The support 3 is furnished with an angular ductA or passage 11, the upper end of which communicates with a port r12 inthe back part of the bellows 41; this port y12 is common, being in communication with the interior of the bellows 4. Within the pressure box 2 is supported rigidly in some suitable manner support 3 a valvey mechanism such as denoted iny a general way by 14. This valve mechanism, as will be understood, involves some of the important fea# tures of the' invention and comprises as shown two castingsfas15 and 16 in all re.- spects desirablyduplicates of each other. l have kfound that each can be advanta` geouslycast in a single piece. These sections power of the .spring are on different the shortarm of which is and 16 are practically of rectangular form having at what is considered the upper end, openings 17 and 18, the opening 17 being in register with the duct or passage 11 and constituting, there'lore, a port, while the opening 18 is closed ttor instance by a disk 19 set into a rabbet therein as shown. rlhe two sections 15 and 16 lit against each other and are secured in some suitable way to the support 3, screws 20 being shown Alor the purpose.

The support 3 in addition to the passage or port 11, to which I have referred, has ports or ducts as 21 and 22, openingl to the atmosphere. As shown, the inner end ot the port or passage 22 is in register with duplicate openings as and 2.4: respectively formed in the lower ends ot the sections 15 and 16. The two openings 25 and 24 mate to constitute a port through the lower end of the valve mechanism 1a.

The sections or castings 15 and 16 be-f ing in the present case duplicates of each other a description ot one will apply to the complemental part. This section 15, as is the case with the magnet mechanism, I have 'found by experiment can very advantageously be made by a metal die casting which l therefore pre'ler to employ. Wlhile the parts 15 and 16 are interchangeable with each other, this ott course is not so with the magnet mechanism, which is struc* turally different from the duplicate parts 15 and 16. The said casting or part 15 is virtually rectangular in shape. It has in it at the corners of a rectai'igle, tour elongated ports25, each surrounded on the inner side by a wall y26. In about the center, is a itth port 27, practically ot cruciilorm shape and surrounded by a wall 26, the several walls 26 and 28 beingl inte-- gral with the back or bottom ot the part 15. The inner edges ot these several walls 26 and 2S are in the same plane and present a flat seat for a valve 29, having con nected with its center the stem BO ol the valve 29, extending through the opening 27 oit the part 16 rigidly connected in some suitable way with the movable member ot the bellows-like pneumatic 31. The base ol said pneuniatic is connected with a magnet mechanisnji such as that denoted in a general way by 32, and constituting a unitary part of said magnet mechanism. The valve 29 is shown by full lines ivn Fig. 1 as occupying its seat against the part 15 and in dotted line against its seat on the part 16. It will, therefore, be clear that when the valve 29 is in its tull line or normal position, pressure from the box 2 can be passed through the ports o'l the part or casting;` 16 and from the interior of the unit 14: into the duct 11 and 'from the latter by way oit the port 12, into the bellows 4, the consequence oLt this being that normally there is pressure within and without the bellows t lso that the spring 6 in the manner set Vtorth can distend the bellows at as also showii by liull lines in said view, and thus normally maintain the valve 9 closed in the manner indicated. Vhcn, however, the pi'ieumatic 3' is collapsed, as l will later cs:- plain, the valve 29 is drawn from itr4 seat against the part 15 and onto its seat against the part 16 thus cutting oli' oonnnunication between the bellows et and the interior oit' the pressure box or chamber 2 so that air will not pass in the manner to which l have just re'lierred son'iewhat .in detail. The valve 29 is shown by dotted lines as occupying its shifted or abnormal position. When iu this particular relation, it o't course, as I have explained, cuts off conimunication between the interior oit the bellows or pneumatic L1, and the interior of rthe pressure box or chamber 2. `When the valve is thus shifted, it oit course, puts the bellows 4rinto communication with the atmosphere by ay ot the -port 12, duct 11, interior ot the unit 14.- and port 21, which latter opens directly Vto the atmosphere. ln view ot Vthey latter (zircunistance the bclli'ivJS-i or puermatic 4l; can be collapsed, and thus cause the air or infessure to pass Vtrom the box or chamber 2 to the pipe `7 in the .manner al,- ready reiterred to.

l will hereinafter describe a way by which the valve 29 may be operated. To accurately `guide this valve 29 'l may provide a pin as 33, this pin being prete 'ably passed through pcrforations in the parts 1.1 and 16 and 'freely through a perforation in the valve 29, the three pertoatimis obviously coinciding. The pin is also driven into the support B. The stem B0, to which l have somewhat briefly referred to, may be i the form of a screw passed through the central portion ot the valve 29 and the threaded portion ol' which is in threaded cir gagement with the movable member ot the pneumatic 11; as shown. this screw 39 is surroumiled by a sleeve 3l abutting at its ends against they inner side ot the valve 29 and movable member ol" the pneumatic l respectively. i Y

lVliatl have referred to as the magnet mechanism 32 comprises the body portion 35 and the tube P16, connected with it, the tube depending from 'the body a short distance back ot the centra-lV portion ot said body.

The tube o'lt elbow or practically obtuse angular construction, its outer end being fitted lla-tnise against the part or casting 16 and being attached, thereto in some convenient way. tube 36 may he 'liurnisluid with lateral lugs 37 perforated to receive screws in. thread ed connect-ion with the lower end oit the part or castin 16. The tube 36 constitutes a duct and is in direct cominunication with the VFor instance, lthe Vtree end ot the lll) y closed by the opening 24, which with the opening 23 constitutes a port through the valve unit,both of them being' in communication with the port 22, which it will berecalled, opens directly to the atmosphere. The upper portion of the body 35 has yan upstanding lug or projection 39 which fits flatwise against the stationary base of the pneumatic 31, the lug being perforated to receive the screw as 40 which is in threaded connection with said base. The body 35 in its upper portion, is plate 42. In the interior of the body 35 and rising from the bottom near the outer end thereof is a practically rectangular wall 43, the interior of which is in register withthe inlet tube 36. This wall 43 presents a seat for the valve 44, shown as closed in Fig. 3.v Fitted against the under side of the plate 42 is a packing strip 45 hav- 4ing an elongated slot 46 in constant communication with the interior of the chamber or box 2. When the valve 44 is closed, as shown in F ig. 3, pressure fromthe box 2 can enter the pneumatic 31 by, way of the ports 47 and slot 46. t

The base board of the magnet'mechanism 32 has a nipple 48 which .tits an opening in' the stationary member of the pneumatic 31, so that pressure may normally entery said bellows to maintain the same distended and as a consequence also lioldthe valve 29 closed to prevent the communication of the bellows 4 with the atmosphere. The yvalve 44y is provided with an armature for the electromagnet 41 and when the electromagnet is energized, as I will later explain, it attracts itsv armature so that the valve 44 then closest-he slot or wind way 46 and cuts the pneumatic 31 from communication with-the interior of the chamber or box 2. When the valve 44 is moved away from its seat through the agency of said electromagnet 41, it puts the pneumatic 31 into communication with the atmosphere, the pneumatic exhausting to the iiiterior of the body 35 and from the latter to the tube 36, which in turn connects with the ports 24 and `23 and port or wind way 22 to atmosphere. Wlhen this particular condition does ensue, duein the present case to the energization of the electromagnet 41, the valve 29 will be operated, owing to the collapse of the pneumatic 31, so that the bellows 4 is put into communication with the atmosphere in the manner I have already set forth.

The electromagnet 4l may be energized from any appropriate mechanism. For instance, froin the battery 49, one terminal of which is connected by a wire as 50 with one terminal of the magnet, theother terminal of the magnet being connected by wires 51 vvalve to open and close and 52 through the cable 53 back-to the battery by way of wire 54 which as I will now explain-is connected to the a suitable switch. This wire 54 leads to the lterminal 55 with which the switch 56 is connected. Said switch, shownv conventionally, ordinarily consists of a key. Complemental to thecontact 55 is the Contact 57 connected by wire 58 to the terminal of the battery 49 opposite that from which the wire 50 leads. In Fig. 1 the switch is shown as open. To close the switch it is moved against the contact 57.

I have mentioned the fact that certain of `the parts may be die cast. Such parts may vbe made from any suitable material such as vulcanite or papier-mch which'are merely two of several illustrations. When of vulcanite or papier-mche I would probably mold such parts.

What I claim is:

battery through 1. A valve mechanism for use in an electropneumatic organ act-ion, comprising two sections exact duplicates of and connected ports, means permanently closing a port of one of the sections, va valve enclosedby the valve mechaisin, and means for causingthe valve to open and close ports on the two sections alternately.

2. A valve mechanism for use in an elecy tropneumatic organ action, comprising two metal die cast sections exact duplicates of and connectedwith each other to constitute a closed box, each section having openings constituting ports, means permanently closving a port of one of the sections, a valve enclosed` by the valve mechanism, and means for causing the valve to open and on the two sections alternately.

3. An electropneumatic organ action including a valve mechanism comprising two sections exact duplicates yof and connected with leach other to constitute a closed box,

each lsection having openings constitutingV close ports ports, means permanently closing a port of l one of the sections, a valve enclosed by the valve mechanism, means for causing the ports on the two sections alternately, said means comprising a pneumatic for operating said valve, anda magnet mechanism for operating said pneumatic. i

Inl testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BASIL G. AUSTIN. 

